Door latch construction

ABSTRACT

A partition type closure for use intermediate the opposite ends of a walled load bed or the like for dividing the interior of the walled load bed into longitudinally spaced sections. Hinge structure is provided for pivotally securing one upstanding marginal edge portion of the partition to a corresponding side wall of the load bed for swinging of the partition about an upstanding axis between a position generally paralleling the one side wall of the load bed and a position extending between the opposite side walls of the load bed. A latch structure is provided for the other wall of the load bed and comprises an upstanding member oscillatably supported from the other side wall for angular displacement about an upstanding axis and including a plurality of parallel horizontally outwardly projecting keeper arms. The keeper arms are oscillatable, with the upstanding member, between retracted positions closely paralleling the other side wall of the enclosure and positions with the free ends of the keeper arms slightly inclined toward the side wall from which the partition is swingably supported and with the free ends of the keeper arms extending generally in the direction in which the free swinging upstanding edge of the partition is swung in order to position the partition in an operative manner extending between the side walls. Also, the other side wall from which the upstanding member is oscillatably supported includes inwardly projecting abutment members in horizontal registry with but spaced slightly along the side wall from the free ends of the keeper arms. The free swinging edge of the partition includes vertically spaced outwardly projecting cam members which are engageable with the free end portions of the keeper arms in order to cam the latter toward positions paralleling the corresponding side wall as the partition is swung to the operative position and also engageable with the abutment members after moving past the free ends of the keeper arms, there being provided spring structure for yieldingly urging the upstanding member to an angularly displaced position with the free ends of the keeper arms inclined away from the corresponding side wall so as to be engageable behind the cam members when the latter are engaged with the abutment members to thereby preclude swinging movement of the partition from the operative position extending between the side walls to an inoperative position paralleling the side wall from which the partition is oscillatably supported.

United States Patent [191 Greyt ak Apr. 23, 1974 1 DOOR LATCHCONSTRUCTION [76] Inventor: Donald A. Greytak, P.O. Box 1267,

Havre, Mont. 59501 22 Filed: Dec. 20, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 316,688

[52] US. Cl. 292/218, 292/34l.17 [51] Int. Cl. E051) 15/02, E050 3/04,E050 3/14 [58] Field of Search 292/218, 341.17, DIG. 29,

292/D1G. 19, DIG. 39, DIG. 40, DIG. 55,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,656,789 4/1972 Ray292/341.17 X

51,417 12/1865 Broomhall 292/218 3,266,831 8/1966 Banse 292/34l.l7 X2,872,232 2/1959 Lawson.... 292/D1G. 19 1,192,733 7/1916 Bennett....292/D1G. 40

930,985 8/1909 Peden 292/341.17 X 3,716,260 2/1973 Herlein 292/D1G. 19

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Wolfe Assistant ExaminerRichard P. TremblayAttorney, Agent, or FirmClarence A. O'Brien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57]ABSTRACT bed. A latch structure is provided for the other wall of theload bed and comprises an upstanding member oscillatably supported fromthe other side wall for angular displacement about an upstanding axisand including a plurality of parallel horizontally outwardly projectingkeeper arms. The keeper arms are oscillatable, with the upstandingmember, between retracted positions closely paralleling the other sidewall of the enclosure and positions with the free ends of the keeperarms slightly inclined toward the side wall from which the partition isswingably supported and with the free ends of the keeper arms extendinggenerally in the direction in which the free swinging upstanding edge ofthe partition is swung in order to position the partition in anoperative manner extending between the side walls. Also, the other sidewall from which the upstanding member is oscillatably supported includesinwardly projecting abutment members in horizontal registry with butspaced slightly along the side wall from the free ends of the keeperarms. The free swinging edge of the partition includes vertically spacedoutwardly projecting cam members which are engageable with the free endportions of the keeper arms in order to cam the latter toward positionsparalleling the corresponding side wall as the partition is swung to theoperative position and also engageable with the abutment members aftermoving past the free ends of the keeper arms, there being providedspring structure for yieldingly urging the upstanding member to anangularly displaced position with the free ends of the keeper armsinclined away from the corresponding side wall so as to be engageablebehind the cam members when the latter are engaged with the abutmentmembers to thereby preclude swinging movement of the partition from theoperative position extending between the side walls to an inoperativeposition paralleling the side wall from which the partition isoscillatably supported.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures :QATENTEDAPR 2 1914 (1806178 SHEET 1 UF 2DOOR LATCH CONSTRUCTION The door latch construction of the instantinvention may be utilized in numerous environments, but is primarilydesigned for use in defining a swinging partition in a walled stocktrailer body with the partition readily securable in a transversepartition-defining position against movement to the inoperative positionand with the partition defining an effective brace between the sidewalls of the body.

In addition to being capable of defining a partition in a stock trailerbody, the swingable gate-type partition of the instant invention mayalso be utilized in other environments such as a partition between loadsin a vehicle body used for carrying freight. Further, it will beapparent from the following detailed description of the partition andlatch construction that the invention may be used to advantage in othersimilar environments.

The main object of this invention is to provide a partition for use in astock trailer that may be readily moved into an out ofpartition-defining position extending between the side walls of thetrailer body and which will be shiftable to a retracted position closelyparalleling one of the side walls of the trailer body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a latch construction forthe partition whereby the latter may be automatically releasably lockedin the operative position defining a partition between load bed sidewalls.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a latchconstruction in accordance with the preceding object which may bereadily released.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a latchconstruction in accordance with the two preceding objects and which willcoact with the associated partition in a manner to define a bracebetween the associated body side walls when the partition is releasablylocked in its operative position.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a construction in accordance with the preceding objects whichwill conform to conventional forms of manufacturing, be of simpleconstruction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will beeconomically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free inoperation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the interior of a stocktrailer with the free swinging edge portion of the partition of theinstant invention locked against angular displacement from the operativeposition by means of the latch construction portion of the instantinvention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the stock trailer with thepartition illustrated as releasably locked in the operative position andan alternate position of the partition illustrated in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewtaken substantially upon a plane designated by the section line 3-3 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the inner sideof the wall of the trailer body from which the latch construction issupported and with portions of the free swinging edge portion of theassociated partition broken away and illustrated in vertical section;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIG.4; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 77 of FIG. 4.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designates a conventional form of stock trailer including apair of upstanding opposite side walls 12 and 14 interconnected at theirlower ends by means of a bottom wall 16. A partition is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 18 and comprises a pair of oppositeside upstanding members 20 and 22 interconnected by means of upper andlower horizontal members 24 and 26 as well as vertically spacedintermediate horizontal members 28, 30 and 32.

The upstanding member 22 is pivotally supported from the side wall 14 bymeans of any suitable hinge assemblies 34 and the free swinging edgeportion of the partition 18 includes endwise horizontally outwardlyprojecting cam members 36 and 38. The cam member 36 is supported fromthe upper end of the upstanding member 20 and includes a horizontalflange 40 which projects outwardly beyond the upstanding member 20 andterminates at its outer end in a right angularly directed horizontalflange 42 projecting from the flange 40 in a direction in which thepartition 18 is swung from a retracted position paralleling the sidewall 14 to an operative position extending between the side walls 12 and14.

A short length of chain 44 is secured to the free swinging end portionof the upper horizontal member 24 and the free end of the chain 44 isengageable over an upstanding pin 46 projecting upwardly from the uppermarginal portion of the side wall 14 in order to secure the partition 18in a retracted position closely paralleling the side wall 14.

From FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings it may be seen that a pair of upperand lower mounting plates 48 and 50 are secured to the inner surface ofthe side wall 12 by means of suitable fasteners 52. The mounting plate48 includes an upstanding reinforcing plate 54 secured to its innersurface in any convenient manner such as by welding and a pair ofhorizontally disposed L-shaped clips 56 and 58 are secured to the upperand lower ends of the reinforcing plate 54. The clips define alignedpassages 60 which are generally triangular in crosssectional shape.Also, the mounting plate 50 has a reinforcing plate 62 secured to itsinner surface by welding and a pair of upper and lower L-shaped clips 64and 66 are secured to the reinforcing plate 62 and define verticallyaligned upstanding passages 68 which are also triangular incross-sectional shape and are aligned with the vertically extendingpassages 60.

An operating bar 70 of rectangular cross-sectional shape is receivedthrough the passages 68 and the bar 70 includes horizontally outwardlyprojecting upper and lower parallel keeper arms 72 and 74. The upper arm72 projects outwardly from that portion of the bar 70 disposed betweenthe clips 56 and 58 and the arm 74 projects outwardly from tha portionof the bar 70 disposed between the clips 64 and 66, the undersurface ofthe base end of the arm 74 bearing upon the opposing upper surface ofthe clip 66 in order to support the bar 70 against downward displacementrelative to the clips 56, 58, 64 and 66. The upper end of the bar 70includes a horizontally outwardly directed terminal portion 76 and thefree end of the terminal portion 76 is provided with a horizontallydisposed operating handle 78. Also, an expansion spring 80 is securedbetween the operating handle 78 and one of the fasteners 52 securing themounting plate 48 to the side wall 12. The expansion spring 80 serves toyieldingly bias the bar 70 to an angularly displaced position such asthat illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings.

A lower abutment member 84 is secured to the mounting plate 50 and isspaced slightly outwardly of and opposes the free end of the keeper arm74. Also, the mounting plate 48 includes a pair of vertically spacedhorizontal and inwardly projecting guide plates 86 between which thefree swinging end of the keeper arm 72 is received and the ends of theguide plates 86 adjacent the bar 70 diverge slightly toward the bar 70.

An abutment member in the form of an upstanding flange 90 is securedbetween the plates 86 a spaced distance inwardly from the mounting plate48 and a similar upstanding flange defining a wear plate 92 is alsosecured between the plates 86 between the abutment 90 and the mountingplate 48. The upstanding edge of the wear plate 92 adjacent the keeperarm 72 is rounded as at 94 and the horizontal spacing between theabutment 90 and the wear plate 92 is such to receive the flange 42 ofthe cam member 36 between the wear plate 92 and the abutment 90 when thepartition 18 is in the operative position.

In operation, the handle 78 may be operated to angularly displace thebar 70 from the position thereofillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 of thedrawings so as to swing the keeper arms 72 and 74 from the solid linepositions illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 to the inactive retractedpositions illustrated by phantom lines in FIGS. 6 and 7. Thereafter, thepartition 18 may be readily swung from the operative positionillustrated in solid lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings in the direction ofthe arrows 96 in FIG. 2 so as to swing the partition 18 toward aposition closely paralleling the inner surface of the side wall 14.After the partition 18 has been swung to the fully retracted position,the free end of the chain 44 may be engaged with the upstanding pin 46so as to retain the partition 18 in the retracted position.

On the other hand, when it is desired to swing the partition 18 to theoperative position, it is merely necessary to disengage the chain 44from the pin 46 and to swing the partition 18 toward the side wall 12.As the partition 18 approaches its operative position, the flange 42 ofthe cam member 36 will engage the keeper arm 72 and the abutment 38 willengage the keeper arm 74 so as to swing the arms 72 and 74 to theretracted phantom line positions thereof illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7thereby enabling the flange 42 and the abutment 38 to swing past thefree ends of the keeper arms 72 and 74. As soon as the flange 42 and theabutment 38 have swung past the free ends of the arms 72 and 74, theflange 42 of the cam member 3.6 and the cam member 38 will engage theflange or abutment member 90 and the abutment member 84 to limitswinging of the partition 18 to the operative position. However, as soonas the cam members 36 and 38 swing past the free ends of the arms 72 and74, the spring is operative to angularly displace the bar 70 so as toswing the free ends of the arms 72 and 74 behind the flange 40 and theabutment 38 thereby retaining the flange 40 and the abutment 38 captivebetween the arms 72 and 74 and the abutments and 84. Of course, inasmuchas the flange 42 is received between the wear plate 92 and the abutment90, lateral displacement of the wall 12 relative to the wall 14 islimited and thus the partition 18 also defines a brace extending betweenthe walls 12 and 14 when the partition 18 is in its operative position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a pair of opposed spaced upright support members,a gate member, means securing one marginal edge portion of said gatemember to one of said support members for swinging of the oppositemarginal edge portion of said gate member toward and away from the othersupport member about a first upright axis, an elongated rigid strap-typebar member, at least two pairs of slightly vertically spaced L-shapedmounting clips secured to and spaced vertically apart along said othersupport member in an upstanding path of alignment generally parallelingsaid first axis, said L-shaped mounting clips being horizontallydisposed and having the free ends of the leg portions thereof opposingand secured to said other support member and the apex portions thereofdefined at the juncture of said leg portions opposing said one supportmember, said clips together defining an upstanding passageway of across-sectional shape including a first pair of opposite short sides anda second pair of opposite longer sides 1 with said lower sides beingslightly convergent toward one of the short sides, said bar being of athickness slightly less than the length of said one short side and of awidth slightly less than the length of said longer sides and extendingthrough said clips and received therethrough for limited oscillationabout a second axis extending along the edge portion of said bardisposed between the convergent ends of said longer sides,longitudinally spaced portions of said elongated bar including a pair oflaterally outwardly projecting keeper arms, each of said arms projectingoutwardly from said bar between one pair of said clips and beingswingable, during angular displacement of said elongated bar between itslimit positions, between retracted positions generally normal to saidgate member when the latter is in the closed position extending betweensaid support members and operative positions with the free ends of saidarms swung at least slightly toward said one support member, abutmentmembers carried by said other support member and spaced slightlyoutwardly of the free ends of said arms, the free swinging edge portionof said gate member including cam members registrable and engageablewith at least the free ends of said arms to cam said arms toward theirretracted positions,

means yieldingly biasing said bar to the limit position thereof withsaid arms in said operative positions, said cam members being swingablepast the free ends of said arms when the latter are in the retractedpositions and engageable with said abutment members between the latterand the ends of said arms for retaining said gate member in the closedposition thereof when said arms are in their operative positions, thelower surface of at least one of said arms being disposed in slidingcontacting relation with the upper edges of the clip disposedtherebetween for limiting downward shifting of said elongated barrelative to said other support member.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support members compriseupstanding opposing walls of a load receptacle.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the side wall comprising said onesupport member includes an anchor member, the free swinging end portionof said gate member including an anchor element releasably engageablewith said anchor member when said gate is swung into position generallyparalleling the last mentioned side wall.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said abutment memberscomprises a flange portion supported in outstanding relation therefromtoward said one support member and with said flange disposed generallynormal to said gate member when the latter is in its closed position,said gate member including a keeper flange outstanding from the freeedge portion of said gate member and swingably receivable between saidflange portion and said other support member during final swinging ofsaid gate member to said closed position thereof with the other cammembers abutted against said abutment members.

1. In combination with a pair of opposed spaced upright support members,a gate member, means securing one marginal edge portion of said gatemember to one of said support members for swinging of the oppositemarginal edge portion of said gate member toward and away from the othersupport member about a first upright axis, an elongated rigid strap-typebar member, at least two pairs of slightly vertically spaced L-shapedmounting clips secured to and spaced vertically apart along said othersupport member in an upstanding path of alignment generally parallelingsaid first axis, said L-shaped mounting clips being horizontallydisposed and having the free ends of the leg portions thereof opposingand secured to said other support member and the apex portions thereofdefined at the juncture of said leg portions opposing said one supportmember, said clips together defining an upstanding passageway of across-sectional shape including a first pair of opposite short sides anda second pair of opposite longer sides with said lower sides beingslightly convergent toward one of the short sides, said bar being of athickness slightly less than the length of said one short side and of awidth slightly less than the length of said longer sides and extendingthrough said clips and received therethrough for limited oscillationabout a second axis extending along the edge portion of said bardisposed between the convergent ends of said longer sides,longitudinally spaced portions of said elongated bar including a pair oflaterally outwardly projecting keeper arms, each of said arms projectingoutwardly from said bar between one pair of said clips and beingswingable, during angular displacement of said elongated bar between itslimit positions, between retracted positions generally normal to saidgate member when the latter is in the closed position extending betweensaid support members and operative positions with the free ends of saidarms swung at least slightly toward said one support member, abutmentmembers carried by said other support member and spaced slightlyoutwardly of the free ends of said arms, the free swinging edge portionof said gate member including cam members registrable and engageablewith at least the free ends of said arms to cam said arms toward theirretracted positions, means yieldingly biasing said bar to the limitposition thereof with said arms in said operative positions, said cammembers being swingable past the free ends of said arms when the latterare in the retracted positions and engageable with said abutment membersbetween the latter and the ends of said arms for retaining said gatemember in the closed position thereof when said arms are in theiroperative positions, the lower surface of at least one of said armsbeing disposed in sliding contacting relation with the upper edges ofthe clip disposed therebetween for limiting downward shifting of saidelongated bar relative to said other support member.
 2. The combinationof claim 1 wherein said support members comprise upstanding opposingwalls of a load receptacle.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein theside wall comprising said one support member includes an anchor member,the free swinging end portion of said gate member including an anchorelement releasably engageable with said anchor member when said gate isswung into position generally paralleling the last mentioned side wall.4. The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said abutment memberscomprises a flange portion supported in outstanding relation therefromtoward said one support member and with said flange disposed generallynormal to said gate member when the latter is in its closed position,said gate member including a keeper flange outstanding from the freeedge portion of said gate member and swingably receivable between saidflange portion and said other support member during final swinging ofsaid gate member to said closed position thereof with the other cammembers abutted against said abutment members.